Origin
Union City, IN
Afternoon in Union City on Saturday
Local time
2:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, IN to South Bend, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 30m
Distance
161.3 mi
260 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 18m
★
6 AM
3h 30m
8 AM
3h 55m
10 AM
3h 39m
12 PM
3h 36m
3 PM
3h 40m
5 PM
3h 54m
8 PM
3h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, IN
Matt Fitz Gibaud
South Bend, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Union City, IN to South Bend, IN covers 161.3 miles and takes about 3h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 27, US 30, US 31 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.3 miles on US 27. At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
80.6 miles from Union City, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 27 | 59.3 mi | 1h 8m |
| US 30 | 48.2 mi | 1h 3m |
| US 31 | 21 mi | 25m |
| US 33 | 12.7 mi | 16m |
| West Deerfield Road | 10 mi | 14m |
| South Michigan Street | 2.5 mi | 6m |
| West Coliseum Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Spy Run Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 27
— 59.3 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, IN and South Bend, IN.
1
Start on West Division Street
38 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Division Street
2
Turn left onto SR 28
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Columbia Street
3
Continue on SR 28
10 mi
·
14 min
·
West Deerfield Road
4
Turn right onto US 27
59 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
US 27
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Lafayette Street
6
Continue on US 27
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Spy Run Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 27
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Clinton Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn straight onto US 27
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lima Road
Toward US 27 North
9
Turn left onto SR 930
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
West Coliseum Boulevard
Use the left lane.
10
Take the exit onto SR 930
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
SR 930
Toward SR 930 West
11
Merge onto SR 930
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Goshen Road
12
Continue on US 33
13 mi
·
16 min
·
US 33
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 30
48 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 30
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 31 North
15
Merge onto US 31
21 mi
·
25 min
·
US 31
16
Enter roundabout onto BUS US 31
128 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Michigan Street
17
Continue on BUS US 31
2.5 mi
·
6 min
·
South Michigan Street
18
Continue on South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
19
Enter roundabout onto SR 933
124 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Michigan Street
20
Continue on SR 933
454 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Michigan Street
21
Turn right onto East Navarre Street
131 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Navarre Street
22
Arrive at destination
East Navarre Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 80.6 miles from Union City, IN, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 35 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.6 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Bend, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Union City, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Union City, IN
This is one driving day of about 161.3 miles and 3h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Union City, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 27 for about 59.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
81 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 80.6 miles from Union City, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 161.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
SR 28 / North Columbia Street
Turn left onto SR 28 / North Columbia Street
Navigation decision point
4
10.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 27
Turn right onto US 27
Navigation decision point
4
70 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
|
US 27 / Lafayette Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 27 / Lafayette Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
73.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 31m in
|
SR 930 / West Coliseum Boulevard
Turn left onto SR 930 / West Coliseum Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
161.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 30m in
|
East Navarre Street
Turn right onto East Navarre Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.22 one way
$50.43 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
56 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $27.69 | $55.38 |
| premium | $4.89 | $31.04 | $62.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $35.61 | $71.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.4 | 0 | $16.94 | $7.74 |
| Efficient EV | 40.3 | 0 | $14.11 | $6.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 64.5 | 0 | $22.58 | $10.32 |
Gas CO2
56 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
South Bend, IN
Afternoon in South Bend on Saturday
Local time
2:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
20 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 30m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
161.3 mi in 3h 30m, mostly highway — 59.3 mi of that is on US 27.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.3 mi on US 27.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 27 and US 30. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 28 / North Columbia Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 161.3 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 28 / North Columbia Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (US 27): Navigation decision point; at 70 miles (US 27 / Lafayette Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 30m. Total distance: 161.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.3 miles on US 27. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 28 / North Columbia Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (US 27): Navigation decision point; at 70 miles (US 27 / Lafayette Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at South Bend, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From South Bend, IN
More from Union City, IN
More trips to South Bend, IN
Explore more options from Union City, IN or browse trips ending in South Bend, IN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IN road trips.